Latest Library Progress

The Board have been looking at the library blog and discussing the findings. They have agreed that we need to look into building a new library more closely and they have formed a library sub committee. That committee met for the first time on Monday 29th September to look at ways to take the concept forward. We looked at funding options and possible locations for a new library.

The impact of the new government 1/18 ratio change for New Entrants and Year 1 children means that we will need more teaching spaces during 2008. It is our hope that we can free up the existing library for teaching spaces by building the new library and ESOL space together. However the reality is that this will take longer than a year so we need to be looking at how we can find spaces for the new children at the end of 2008 when we have used the music room.

More updates to follow.

Burwood review

• Central issues desk
• Lots of space
OPACs plus 6 other computers for internet and catalogue searching
• Half wall office for librarian looked out on library but librarian could leave work in progress
• Librarians desk facing computer screens for monitoring use
• Teacher resources separate but near to library (T’s responsibility) - prefer T resources closer to or part of main library
• Area with screen off the side of the library
• Wonderful use of colour
• Lots of glass windows
• Glass doors led to outside reading area
• Large entranceway
• Shoe cupboards
Search machines were are chest height which would help ‘flow’ of people.

Hi from annie

Really good to hear what is being said, have a few ideas will add .

Staff Wishlist - Programmes on offer

Here are the staff ideas relating to our wishes for the displays in the Physical Environment. Items in red and bold are seen as immediate needs. Blue are short term and green are longer term wishes.

• Eager reading continued
  
• Extension writing – for top writers
  
• Teacher Induction
  
• Students performing – poetry, reading, slideshows, published work
  
• Information, research skills – programmes
  
• Librarian training – progression of skills to teach kids as librarians
  
• Reading, love of books, silent reading, reading to children.
  
• Children having access to being able to research – inquiries etc
  
• Classroom library time – children issuing books, read aloud.
  
• Parent workshops with Desna eg what are boys reading now, how do I help my child with homework research, Books you can read and enjoy with your child (Q & A’s)
  
• Theatresports – with puppet shows.
  
• Team meetings held in the library – ability to utilise resources immediately/ teachers become familiar with resources in the library.
  
• Writer’s workshops – adult running sessions
  
• Visiting story tellers/authors etc
  
• Poetry recitals
  
• Someone to help teach library skills, progressions throughout year groups. Workshops offered of skills (2 or 3 kids per class can attend – then they can teach the rest of the class)
  
• Lunchtimes – tapes of books playing or an adult or child reading aloud – advertised in daily notices
• Quiet area for study/ individual booths.
• Quiet area to play games, chess etc
  
• Links/trips to public library – it is so close!
  
• Cluster groups – running professional development for other teachers
  
• Teacher professional development on info lit
  
• Radio station – kids broadcasting
  
• FOS news – broadcasting to the internet

Blogg Reading Tool - RSS Menu

This little application allows you to read a number of RSS Feeds (which is what blogs create so others can easily get the information) at once.

It's called RSS menu, it is free and you can customise it to keep track of as many RSS feeds as you like, all from your menu bar!

Check this screen shot of my setup for RSS menu, which keeps track of the kids in my class, plus all other FOS blog RSS feeds, plus a growing number of interest-based blogs.

New ESOL space features

These are some of the things I feel need to be included in a new ESOL teaching space that we DO NOT currently have:
• a warm, welcoming environment that students can visit throughtout the day or parents can access if needing to seek help
• a more inclusive location so that the students are not isolated from the rest of the school
• an environment that is included in the cleaning contract
• natural lighting
• adequate ventilation
• adequate heating/cooling
• adequate space for teaching larger groups, more than one group, all the ESOL students together
• adequate space for practical hands-on activities
• a quieter environment (without jumping beans, dance classes and seniors singing in the same area!!!)
• display boards for sharing student's work
• a noticeboards for communicating with parents
• appropriate sized chairs and tables for students of different ages/heights
• more computers
• access to an air port for computers
• a more reliable phone
• storage cuboards or shelves for teaching resources, books, ESOL boxes
• locked cabinets for storing personal items and assessment data

Latest new books

On the new display shelf this week are:
The Usborne big book of fantasy quests. Great puzzle book. Find it later in the Green dot section of our library.
Fiction;
Mimus by L. Thal. This is set in the Middle Ages so great if you want an historical read with kings and queens and adventure.

When Santa fell to earth by C. Funke. Always a popular author here.
There's a worm on my eyeball! by Dr A. Taor. This is one for those who love lots of gross facts. Find it on the shelf at 612.002

Boyz rule! Rotten school day by F. Arena. This book is both a play and a story. Wonderful to read together with you best friend. FInd it in the Blue dot section

Staff Wishlist - Physical Environment - Design

Here are the staff ideas relating to our wishes for the design of the Physical Environment. Items in red and bold are seen as immediate needs. Blue are short term and green are longer term wishes.

Location of the building and its entrance in relation to the classroom

Design:
Plants and greenery
Calming coloured carpet and walls
Moveable shelving/partitions so we can make and break spaces
Toilet
Area for wet shoes eg foyer with cubbyholes
After hours return slot
Lots and lots and lots of snugly cusions@!
New Furniture – armchairs, couches, nooks and crannies
Computer suite/ computers inside library and accessible to library ( not hidden in another room)
Modern
Small tiered seating outside for 1 class/ reading pit
Outdoor seating – doors open onto decking and little benches (enclosed and rooved so all season use
Separate workroom for librarians
A foyer for displays
Sliding doors/ variable space
Sloped ceiling for displays
Separate work space for Desna away from the children

Staff Feedback on FOS Library

Here is a summary of staff feedback on the current library at Fendalton School. 

Plus:

• Shelving caters well.
  
• Heaps of resources for kids and teachers.
  
• More comfortable cushions, etc. now.
  
• System for issuing seems better (less stressful to use).
  
• Desna – knowledge, initiative, passion, how she spends time with individuals and shares this back with others. Thinking ahead all the time.
  
• Variety of seating beanbags, chairs.
  
• Personnel on hand, Desna helpful when asked for advise.
  
• People display.
  
• High quality and quantity of books.
  
• Vibrant colours.
  
• Open and well used at lunchtimes.
  
• Variety of things for students to do eg games.
  

Minus:

• Not enough natural lighting (eg. skylights). People to walk past and want to go in.
  
• Layout isn’t friendly.
  
• Library can be ‘booked up’ which can make it inflexible for impromptu visits.
  
• Heating.
  
• Resources going out without issue is an ongoing problem.
  
• Working area for Desna to process books.
  
• Not a very physically obvious part of the school (eg. location, front door).
  
• Very little room for displays.
  
• It is an old building (a ‘box’).
  
• Needs more light.
  
• Nowhere to put wet shoes on wet day.
  
• Hard for more than one class to use resources.
  
• Not user friendly.
  
• Shelves not moveable.
  
• Students need access to modern equipment eg laptops.
  
• It is a book place.
  

Delta (Change):

• At least 1:6 ratio of people: computers.
  
• More flexible space (eg. sunken area which can isolate kids reading from a class that visits, etc.).
  
• Specific teaching of research skills – freeing up staff to do this.
  
• Employing someone else to help Desna (eg. administration tasks, etc.).
  
• Putting different types of resources/learning into different types of spaces (eg. a ‘snugly place’, a podcasting place,
  
• Mezzanine floor for teacher resources.
  
• Café/coffee maker.
  
• Parent reading material/area.
  
• Little alcoves to sit and think.
  
• Pit or corner to sit with class.
  
• Juniors & middle book areas segregated to lesson the searching for different topics, ie. all the fiction and non-fiction for juniors in one area instead of all over the library intermixed with senior books.
  
• Classes rostered in to do displays.
  
• Big books and Big poem cards to be hung up and labelled for easy access.
  
• Magnetic stories.
  
• Whiteboard for questioning sessions.
  
• Puppets shows and books to share with class, month about, etc.
  
• Photocopier for teachers to use at time.
  
• Computers in library and accessible.
  
• Couches, shaped cushions.
  
• Child based displays, room for displays.
  
• Display new books on show but can’t be taken out yet – new releases.
  
• Needs to be an integration of books and other information technology.
  
• Needs more space, nooks and crannies to accommodate this.
  
• Needs to be more cosy, snuggly, an ambience.
  
• Would be nice to have different types of learning and resources eg books on tape, books on computers, other sources of info.
  
• First language books.
  
• We would like Desna more involved with students because of her wealth of knowledge.
  
• Would like active facilitation of multiple users doing different things.
  
• Computers shifted out of the back space and included in the main library
  
• More use at lunchtime.
  

Positive features of City South Learning Centre

• Large screens, play stations, coffee shop to draw people in
• Variety of different types of spaces
• Nice outdoor/play area
• Tiled floors noisy
• Used art effectively eg sculptures

Positive features of StAC Prep Library

Hi everyone. Here is a summary of the positive features Letesha and I saw at the StAC prep library:
• Beautiful entrance which had lots of art.
• Fantastic use of lighting - different styles, fluorescent bars, panels, pendants
• Lots of natural lighting (slim tall windows, high windows, ranchslider)• Multi-level roof in two different materials
• Separate areas for casual reading and research
• All laptops and other ICT equipment issued by library staff and barcoded
• Large library staff resource area with great big drawers.
• Librarian office had kitchenette area for making lunches, small catering
• Staff worked through lunchtime, were available to assist students
• Multi-leveled bench for issuing/returns (seat level and standing level)
• Returns box which was spring-loaded so height adjusts when there are more books in it.
• Enough seating for whole class
• AV/datashow on wheels ready for use stayed in library
• Room for two classes to work at a time
• Bench with 10 computers for searching, internet etc
• Semi-moveable shelving (were quite heavy)
• Shelving with spine out and face out shelves

Student Feedback -

Results from the student competition.
What I like about the library

Bean bags,
books, variety of books,
games,
posters,
table and chairs,
stuffed dolls (hanging from the ceiling),
magazines,
the reference section,
it's a nice experience
blue dots - separate reading books for junior/senior
you can rest and relax
it's fun to go at lunchtime
renewing system
everything in order
the librarian
so many books to choose from


What I would like to see in the library

Computers
outdoor area
couches
more bean bags and cushions
more light
bigger entrance
bigger space
to be open at morning tea
more books
more windows
toilets
quiet area
Needs to be squiggly
more shelves
multiple copies of good books
DVD's and videos
PS2 games
Reading pit
Novels to read in a week
More Blue dots
Fish tank
Music playing at lunctime
More posters
Using the website to see what we have

Getting Start - instructions

Hi guys,

This is a great way to record all of our thoughts, research and findings as we help guide the school towards the development of the new library. Create your own Blogger account first, then you can contribute to this blog and help it grow.

Once you can make a blog post of your own, learn how to give your posts labels which allows it to be easily found by others. They can then comment on your findings and ideas.